As the Dormouse Sleeps: A Soap Opera
by MirrorDede
Summary: Xerxes thought Reim was his friend, until he catches him in the arms of Vincent Nightray. Angst, crack, and fluff all stirred together into melodrama stew.


**As the Dormouse Sleeps: A Soap Opera**

**Summary:** Xerxes thought Reim was his friend, until he catches him in the arms of Vincent Nightray. Angst, crack, and fluff all stirred together into melodrama stew.

Words: 2142

**Writer's Note:** Viewing this through a soap opera lens allowed me to inject a bit more emotion and drama into the characters' behavior than they might normally have. Take it with a grain of crack. (As usual, character's thoughts are in italics) Takes place before Sablier arc. Thanks to total_alias for beta reviewing!

()

It was time for yet another formal ball in the realm of the four dukedoms, and the majority of adult nobles and their servants were in attendance.

Reim Lunettes hated this sort of function with a passion. He was a high-strung sort of man, who was clumsy at dancing and not particularly popular with the ladies. Normally when compelled to attend such balls, he would just sit back, nibble on some hors d'oevres, and watch his outcast friend Xerxes Break make a fool of himself.

There was for Reim only one silver lining to these festive clouds of social awkwardness, and that was the opportunity to spend time outside of Pandora with the handsome noble Vincent Nightray, whose smooth talk and bright smile made Reim feel all melty inside. He was well aware that the Nightray and Xerxes did not get along, but somehow that made speaking with Vincent all the more compelling. Vincent was like the forbidden fruit and the air of gentle mystery he exuded often made Reim weak in the knees. He had long had an irrational crush on the blond man. It was irrational because there was no way, he figured, that Vincent would ever deign to do anything more than chat idly with him about the weather or Pandora business. Whenever their conversations had veered past those two "safe" topics, Vincent seemed more interested in gently teasing Reim about his chain than anything else. Reim figured this evening's event would be no exception.

So he was quite surprised when Vincent Nightray sidled up to him just outside the coatroom and began a conversation.

"Reim-san…" Vincent said, voice smooth as honey. "It's a pleasure to see you here." _I need to butter him up_, thought Vincent_, if I'm going to get any information from him about that detestable Xerxes Break. _

"Ah, uh…it's nice to see you, too, Vincent-san." Reim smiled and gazed upon the other man's long, silky hair, kind smile and broad shoulders. He felt his cheeks grow warm and took off his glasses to rub them with a hanky.

"You are looking quite handsome this evening," Vincent murmured.

Reim looked around to see to whom Vincent might be speaking, but saw no one else there.

"I meant you, Reim-san," Vincent purred.

"Oh, ah…um…t-thank you!" Reim blushed and put his glasses back on.

The noble man took the servant's left hand in both of his and whispered, "Please forgive me…I'd like to get to know you better…to see the real you…the side of you that no one else sees."

Reim was flattered beyond compare. _How I wish sometimes that Xerxes would say things like that to me_, he thought. _Then I'd know for sure if his affectionate gestures toward me were something more than just an elaborate joke_. Vincent leaned closer and tilted his head slightly, until all Reim could see in his line of vision was that single red eye…the one red eye that reminded him so much of Xerxes.

"I would very much like to press my lips against yours," murmured the young noble. _I will loosen his lips with the skills of my own_. "Will you give me the pleasure, Reim-san?"

Reim's head jerked nervously and Vincent – still grasping Reim's hand – led the bespectacled man into the coatroom. He stumbled along, hardly daring to breath. _He wants to kiss me? Me? _He followed blindly as Vincent pulled him behind a rack of heavy coats.

"No one can see us here," Vincent whispered, putting his hands on Reim's waist and pulling him close. His lips parted and the scent of mint wafted between them. Reim felt the other man's warm lips alight on his, and an ecstatic tingle drifted from his lips down to his stomach. He wrapped his arms around Vincent's shoulders and pulled him close. _How long have I waited to do this with someone…anyone_, thought Reim, sighing into himself and giving way to the other man's seductive powers.

()

Meanwhile, Xerxes Break was also at the party, and having a rather lousy time. His frequent companion Sharon was too young to attend and his only other friend, Reim Lunettes, had disappeared. He stood near the punch bowl and tried to crack jokes at people as they passed, but more and more he was feeling a bit awkward about the whole affair. People not only weren't laughing and smiling at his wisecracks, they were just sort of giving him blank stares or dirty looks. _It's like that all the time_, I suspect, he thought sadly_. I am just usually better at ignoring it._ He looked at the doll perched on his shoulder, and said,

"I think it's time we left, Emily."

"These people are boring!" squawked the doll, as Xerxes walked toward the coatroom to retrieve his coat…

Behind the coat rack, Vincent groped Reim's backside and teased the roof of the other man's mouth with the tip of his tongue. Reim was beside himself with nervous ecstasy, and it was all he could do to maintain some semblance of composure, knowing that he was making out with this beautiful, elegant man. _To think I'd be special enough to him – me, a lowly servant – that he'd want to be with me this way._

Vincent's thoughts were far more practical:_ I will use Dormouse to put Reim to sleep_. _While he sleeps, I can search his pockets for evidence I could use against him or the Hatter. And when he awakes, he will be willing to tell me anything – by blackmail, if necessary_.

But Vincent, for better or worse, had not learned how to properly use his chain, and when he attempted to use Dormouse to lull Reim to sleep, he himself collapsed into slumber, his lips still pressed against the other man's. It took Reim a brief moment to realize that his partner was no longer moving, and that he had actually fallen asleep. Unsure whether to be afraid or insulted, Reim stayed stock still, pressed against the wall, trying to think of what to do. Then he heard someone come into the room and start tugging on the coats right next to him. Afraid of being found, he held onto Vincent tightly so he wouldn't collapse onto the floor and give them away.

Xerxes Break was having trouble finding his coat. He preferred to wear a white one most of the time…it was easy to pick out amongst a group of black ones. But for tonight's formal occasion, he'd worn a black coat similar to many others. _Annoying_, he thought and yanked the coats abruptly apart. Just behind the coats, was a sight he was not expecting…his best friend Reim Lunettes, with his arms around his worst enemy, Vincent Nightray. His eye widened in horror when he saw that the two men had their lips pressed together.

Reim quickly endeavored to turn his head so that Vincent's sleeping lips fell upon his cheek. His glasses askew, he gasped,

"Xerxes!"

"Reim!"

The white-haired man grew even more pale than usual and grabbed the top of the coat rack for support. "I-I…" _I thought you were my friend_, he wanted to say. _You know how much I hate Vincent_. But he couldn't bring himself to say it. Suddenly, years of what he thought had been friendship washed before his eyes as he blinked back tears. He grabbed the nearest black coat and hastily put it on. _All those times that you acted embarrassed when I told people you were my friend…I guess you truly were ashamed of me and I was only fooling myself when I thought that you liked me. All those times I grabbed your arm affectionately and you tried to squirm away…I thought you were just being square and uptight…but…but…I suppose you really hated me all this time_.

Xerxes bit his lip and rushed from the coatroom, while Reim called out,

"Wait! Xerx…wait!"

Reim carefully lowered sleeping Vincent to the floor and chased after his friend…his real friend…not some silly crush…but an honest to goodness 'I would do anything for you' friend. Walking as quickly as he could without drawing unnecessary attention to himself, he thought, _Oh God, I've totally screwed up now. Xerx hates me now, I'm sure of it. And all I ever wanted was to be close to him…but…but I never told him how I really feel. All those times I recoiled from his touch because I was afraid of my own feelings for him. And the look he had on his face just now.._.

Xerxes walked outside into the cold night air and looked for his carriage. He decided he would just have to wait there until the others from Rainsworth manor were ready to leave, because he couldn't face the merry revelers any longer – not in the sour mood he was in. His sadness quickly turned to anger, as it often did, and he kicked the thin tires of the carriage with his boot. _All those times Reim helped me over the years…clearly, he was only doing that for his own personal gain. He was just using me to feel better about himself. Since if he could say that he was helping the strongest man in Pandora, it would elevate his stature. He's grown arrogant over the years, and now thinks he's special enough court a noble… Vincent Nightray, of all people!_ He gritted his teeth and balled up his fists.

Reim stumbled out into the cold and quickly found Xerxes, standing under a lamplight with an irritable expression on his face.

"Please don't be angry, with me Xerxes. Though you have every right to be…"

He turned away, not wanting Reim to see how much this bothered him.

"I'm not angry, Reim," he said, trying to convince himself, too. "You can do whatever you like with whomever you like."

"But I like _you…_"

"No, you don't," Xerxes grumbled. "I'm just that idiotic asshole you put up with."

"But, but that's…" Reim lacked the confidence to protest. He pressed his lips together, unsure if he wanted to cry or beat the other man's chest with his balled up fists. His nervous energy dissolved into cold shivers, and he wished he'd remembered to bring his coat.

Xerxes turned around and cast an expressionless glance at the other man standing there, shivering in the cold. He took off his jacket and put it around Reim's shoulders.

"Y-you're lending me your coat?"

"It's not mine. I just grabbed someone's… I guess I should go back and find my own."

He turned and walked toward the mansion's front door, and then stopped. Slowly he turned around, and saw Reim just standing there, cleaning the condensation off his glasses. _I should have expected as much_. _He doesn't care enough to follow me_. He swallowed hard and continued walking.

Reim put his glasses back on and noticed his friend was almost to the door.

"Xerx…wait!"

He ran to catch up and Xerxes held the door for him.

"I'm glad you deigned to follow me, Reim-san," said the white-haired man, trying to force a smile. _As I don't want to be alone in the coatroom with that sewer rat. How could you…your_ _lips were touching Vincent's._ He felt sick to his stomach just thinking about it.

They made their way back to the coatroom and found Vincent still asleep on the floor. Reim removed the borrowed coat and hung it back on a hanger, while Xerxes looked at the sleeping man. _He's holding something in his hand…a piece of paper…no…a photograph_. Xerxes removed it from Vincent's fingers to look at it. _It's a picture of me!_ He gasped in surprise and showed it to Reim.

"Why on earth," whispered Xerxes, "would Vincent have a picture of me?"

Reim's mouth dropped open and he instinctively reached for his back pocket. Feeling inside the pocket, he noticed it was unexpectedly empty.

"That's…that's mine!" Reim stuttered. "H-he…must have nicked it from my pocket while we were…eh…"

Xerxes' expression grew curious and his voice softened.

"Well, why do _you_ have a picture of me, Reim?"

Blushing, the younger man took the picture protectively and held it in his hand. Gazing at the photographic smile of his most precious friend, he said,

"Because I like it…"

"Y-You like it?"

"Yes. Because…it reminds me of you, Xerx."

Xerxes was silent a moment, and felt a strange stirring in his heart - a mixture of warm tingling and melancholy joy that he'd rarely experienced before. And then he grinned.

"Mm, well…you'll just have to give me a picture of you that I can keep in my pocket, now, right?" He clapped Reim on the shoulder, and then – without thinking – pulled him closer, and the two men fell into a long, tight embrace, as if no one else in the world really mattered. And at that moment, no one else did.


End file.
